In-line skates include a series of wheels that are longitudinally arranged one behind the other along the length of a frame. These wheels normally rotate in a common, vertical plane creating an experience that is similar to ice skating. In-line skating, including recreational, hockey, aggressive and speed, has experienced a considerable increase in its popularity over the last decade. In recent years, in-line skates have become an increasingly popular recreational and off season training activity. This is in part due to its combining the excitement and challenge of ice skating with the freedoms of running. In-line skates enable a user to access a variety of smooth and rough indoor and outdoor surfaces including composite rubber floors, concrete and asphalt.
Conventional in-line skate wheels are traditionally either solid or pneumatic. Solid wheels are usually very hard and formed of rubber, plastic or other appropriate materials. Pneumatic skate wheels include a bladder or fluid receiving area that dampens vibrations created during skating and provides the skater with a more comfortable ride. These wheels also give the skater the option of using a softer or harder tire depending on the type of skating to be done. Pneumatic skate wheels can be lighter than solid wheels of the same size, as a result, they can significantly reduce the overall weight of a skate, especially, when the skate requires four or more wheels.
Indicia, such as lettering and symbols, are typically applied to the outer, lateral sides of conventional in-line skate wheels to identify the source of the wheels, provide specification information about the wheels and make the wheels more attractive to the public. An example of a wheel having indicia applied to its exterior is the "C.S. MATRIX" by HYPER. However, as the tire portion of a wheel wears down due to frictional contact with rough skating surfaces such as asphalt, concrete and rubber floors, the indicia wears off before the wheel needs to be replaced. The indicia can also wear off as a consequence of being hit by a puck or stick, or if the skater drags the side of the skate carrying the detailing while stopping, skating or performing maneuvers. As a result, the resources used to provide detailing to the side of the wheel can be wasted if the detailing prematurely wears off the wheel.
There is a decided need in the art for in-line skate wheels that overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art. It is an object of this invention to provide a method of applying indicia to a portion of an in-line skate wheel that will not wear off before the wheel is replaced.